Pack stand



May 20, 1947.

C. O. WESTOVER PACK STAND Filed ma 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /1005 o. WESTOVEI? O ATTORNEY M y 1947- c. o. WESTOVER 2,420,805

PACK STAND Filed May 10,1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I INVENTOR' ./6/ a uozawesrove-lr Patented May 20, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACK STAND Claude 0. Westover, Orlando, Fla.

Application May 10, 1945, Serial No. 593,072

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a stand used by packers for holding boxes or crates for holding iruit, vegetables and the like while being filled and the stand then moved into position for depositing the boxes or crates on a conveyor for transportation to a store room.

One object of the invention is to provide a stand so formed that the box will be suppbrted in a substantially horizontal position on arms which are pivotally mounted so that after the stand has been moved into position disposing the arms over a conveyor, the arms may be released and allowed to move downwardly into position for depositing the box on the conveyor.

Another object is to provide an improved latch orkeeper for holding the arms in raised position, the keeper being so mounted that when the stand is moved toward the conveyor a portion of the keeper will strike the conveyor frame and cause end-of the arm or yoke serving to limit pivotal movement of the keeper when swung to its oper ative position and preventing it from being moved in this direction beyond a position in which. it

will effectively hold the bars in position to support the box while being filled and transported to the conveyor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stand formedof metal and which is very stron but light ,in weight.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved stand.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectiona1 view on the line 3- -3 of Fi 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. ,3, showing the keeper in released position.

This improved packers stand has a base con sisting of side bars 1 formed of angle metal and having their horizontal portions extending inwardly and formed with openings near their front and. rear ends through which casters 2 are secured. and rest upon the floor, so thatthe stand may be easily moved from place to place. Postsor uprights 3-, also formed of angle metal, restv uponthe base bars I, where they are welded to-thebase bars, as shown at 5 in Figure 3, so that they will be; rlnnlyheld against movement out of perpendicular position. Upper portions of the standards 3 are bent inwardly, as shown at 6. to form blunt upper ends for the standards and impart an attractive appearance to the stand. In order to brace the standards, there have been provided cross bars 1 and 8 secured by fasteners 9 and ID, or welded to the standards. The upper crossbar l is a fiat strip of metal secured at its ends against the outer surfaces of the rear portions of the standards and the lower cross bar is formed of angle metal and mounted against inner faces of the rear portions of the standards. It will thus be seen that the frame of the stand is entirely formed of metal strips or bars which are firmly secured to each other and provide a frame which is of light weight but is very strong.

A shaft ll extends between the standards or uprights 3 and is rotatably mounted through the side flanges thereof, end portions of the shaft.

being bent to form bars or arms I 2 which project forwardly from the shaft and the uprights. These bars or arms carry the box in which fruit or vegetables are to be packed and, during filling of the box, the arms are held in the raised position shown in Figure 3. To hold the arms raised, there has been provided a U-shaped yoke or arm l3 having its side arms formed with openings through which the shaft H passes, the side arms of the yoke being welded to the shaft so that, when the yoke is swung from the lowered position of. Figure l to the raised position of Figure 3, the shaft will be turned and the bars l2 swung upwardly to raised position. A keeper I4 is pivotally mounted between side arms of the yoke by a pin l5. This keeper or latch is substantially V-shaped and has upper and lower arms l6 and I1 and a heel or finger l8 projecting outwardly from the yoke at the junction of the arms it and I l and adapted to bear against the inner face of the cross bar I when the keeper is swung to the position shown in Figure 3.

Whenthe stand is in use, it is moved into position at a packing table and. the bars" I2 swung upwardly to. the raised position shown" in Figure 3, where they are held by the keeper. The keeper maybe moved to the operative position shown in this figure byweight of the arm-l1 or the keeper may be grasped by its arm ll as a handle and this arm swung downwardly until it strikes the bridge [9- or the yoke; The bridge limits downward movement of the keeper and causes the finger I8- to beheld in horizontal position for abutting engagement with the cross bar 1- and the keeper will then very effectively prevent downward. movement of thebars I2. After the box has been'n-lled, the stand ismoved toaposition at one side of the conveyor 20 and the base of the stand moves under the conveyor while the bars [2 carrying the filled box I3 moves over the conveyor, Continued pushing upon the stand will cause the head 2| of the arm [6 of the keeper to make contact with the confronting side of the conveyor and since this head has a curved edge face, a cam action takes place and the keeper will be tilted about its pivot I to move its finger 18 out of contact with cross bar 1 and allow the shaft II to turn and the bars 12 swing downwardly until the box is deposited upon the conveyor, The finger l8 engages under the cross bar 1 when the keeper moves to its releasing position and causes downward movement of the bars [2 to be limited, as shown in Figure 4, and, since the bars are freed from the box when the box comes to rest upon the conveyor, the stand can be moved away from the conveyor and returned to the packing table, where another box is placed upon the bars and filled.

What I claimed is:

1. A pack stand comprising a frame having base bars and standards rising from rear end portions thereof, the base bars and said standards being formed of angle metal and firmly secured to each other, a bracing bar of angle metal extending between lower portions of said standards and secured thereto, a cross bar extending between the standards and secured thereto in vertical spaced relation to the bracing bar, a shaft extending between and rotatably mounted through said standards in upwardly spaced relation to said cross bar and having end portions bent to form receptacle-holding bars projecting forwardly outwardly of opposite sides of the standards, a U-shaped yoke carried by said shaft midway its length and extending downwardly therefrom below said cross bar, and a keeper pivotally mounted between side arms of said yoke adjacent the lower end thereof, said keeper being substantially V-shaped and having upper and lower arms extending from the yoke in diverging relation to each other and a finger extending outwardly at the intersection of its arms, the lower arm of said keeper constituting means for swinging the keeper to an operative position disposing the finger in position for contacting the inner face of said cross bar and holding the yoke swung upwardly to retain the receptacle-supporting bars tilted upwardly and the upper arm of the keeper constituting a trigger for engaging a side portion of a conveyor and tilting the keeper to move its finger out of engagement with the cross bar and allow downward movement of the yoke and the said receptacle-supporting bars until said yoke engages the cross bar.

2. A pack stand comprising a base, standards rising from said base and spaced from each other transversely thereof, a cross bar extending between said standards, a rotatable shaft extending between said standards above said cross bar and having forwardly projecting receptacle-supporting bars for extending across a conveyor when the base is under the conveyor, a U-shaped yoke carried by and extending downwardly from said shaft midway the length thereof, and a keeper pivotally mounted between side arms of said yoke adjacent the lower end thereof, said keeper being substantially V-shaped and having upper and lower arms extending from the yoke in diverging relation to each other and a finger extending outwardly at the intersection of its arms, the lower arm of said keeper constituting means for swinging the keeper to an operative position disposing the finger in position for contacting the inner face of said cross bar and holding the yoke swung upwardly to retain the receptacle-supporting bars tilted upwardly, and the upper arm of the keeper constituting a trigger for engaging a side portion of a conveyor and tilting the keeper to move its finger out of engagement with the cross bar and allow downward movement of the yoke and the said receptacle-supporting bars until said yoke engages the cross bar.

3. A pack stand comprising a base, standards rising from said base and spaced from each other transversely thereof, a cross bar extending betweeen said standards, a rotatable shaft extending between said standards above said cross bar and having forwardly projecting receptacle-supporting bars for extending across a conveyor when the base is under the conveyor, a yoke carried by said shaft and extending downwardly therefrom intermediate the width of the frame and provided with a laterally extending member at its lower end constituting an abutment, and a keeper pivoted to said yoke above said abutment and having upper and lower arms extending inwardly from the yoke in diverging relation to each other and a finger extending outwardly from the yoke at the junction of the upper and lower arms, the lower arm constituting a handle for tilting the keeper to operative position in which the finger abuts the confronting side face of said cross bar and retains the yoke and the receptacle-supporting bars in raised position, and the upper arm constituting a trigger for abutting engagement with a conveyor frame to tilt the keeper to releasing position and move its finger out of contact with the cross bar to allow downward movement of the bars for depositing a receptacle thereon upon a conveyor.

4. A pack stand comprising a base, standards rising from said base and spaced from each other transversely thereof, a cross bar extending between said standards, a rotatable shaft extending between said standards above said cross bar and having forwardly projecting receptacle-supporting bar for extending across a conveyor when the base is under the conveyor, a yoke carried by said shaft and extending downwardly therefrom intermediate the width of the frame, and a keeper pivoted to said yoke and having upper and lower arms extending inwardly from the yoke and finger extending outwardly from the yoke, the lower arm constituting a handle for tilting the keeper to an operative position in which the finger bears against the confronting side face of said cross bar and retains the yoke and receptacle-supporting bars in raised position, and the upper arm constituting a trigger for abutting engagement with a conveyor frame to tilt the keeper and move the finger downwardly out of contact with the cross bar and allow downward movement of the bars for depositing a receptacle thereon upon a conveyor.

5. A pack stand comprising a base, standards rising from said base and spaced from each other transversely thereof, a cross bar extending be tween said standards, a rotatable shaft extending between said standards above said cross bar and having forwardly projecting receptacle supporting bars for extending across a conveyor when the base is under the conveyor, a yoke carried by said shaft and extending downwardly therefrom intermediate the width of the frame, and a keeper pivoted to said yoke and having a finger projecting outwardly from the yoke for abutting contact with the confronting side face of said cross bar and releasably holding the keeper in operative position for maintaining the receptaclesupporting bars in an upwardly tilted position, said keeper having an arm extending inwardly from the yoke at an upward incline for abutting engagement with a frame of a conveyor to tilt,

the keeper to a releasing position and free its finger from the cross bar to permit downward movement of the bars for depositing a receptacle upon a conveyor over which the bars extend when 10 the base of the stand is under the conveyor.

CLAUDE O. WE'STOVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

